Hunting Shadows
by thelastredshirt
Summary: Between SEED and DESTINY. Two Orb soldiers leave a string of bodies in post-occupation Orb, bent on revenge. Can Kira and the Federal Security Bureau stop them before Orb is forced into chaos?
1. Prologue

Here it is, my first multi-chapter fic with a very slightly rewritten introduction. Thanks for all the interest in this story, even though it pales in comparison to some others. Sorry about any mistakes in here. I like to write in the early early morning, like 0100, even though I'm pretty sleepy. Nighttime is so good for creativity...

**NOTE - This chapter does not introduce the any major characters from the show. They will be in the next chapter.  
**

Disclaimer - I don't own Gundam SEED/SEED DESTINY. I don't know of any other way to say that more clearly. Do you?

--  
Prologue  
--

A voice inquired from the darkness, "Mr. Samuel Mathews?"

"Yes?" answered the man. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties and had just walked out of his garage. Behind him was a brand new yellow Lotus and several other expensive luxury sports cars. His house lay off in the distance and the entire residence was walled and gated. Samuel wondered how this man got through what was supposed to be a top of the line security system.

"IRS. Could we talk inside?" A gust of wind drove the rain harder as a flash of lightning silhouetted a dim figure.

"Yeah, hold on a moment." He turned to close the garage door and a sudden pain exploded from the back of his skull.

--

He regained conciousness with a start and tried to move. His torso and feet were bound with duct tape to a high-backed chair appropriated from his dining room. His wrists, however, were taped securely to the table in front. Only one of the overhead lights was turned on and it shone directly on the awake and, now, raging blonde. The same man from earlier stood just outside of the spotlight's range.

"You can't do this to me," Samuel tried to shout, but it came out as a whisper from behind a gag. "I've got friends in the government. They'll hunt you down. You'll never get away with this. You... You... You..."

The man just stared at the heap of seething filth before replying coldly, "Me? Oh, I will get away with this, believe me. Your friends will be following you in due time. I am the judge, the jury, and the executioner." He paused momentarily, then continued in a menacing voice, "Welcome to hell. Shall we begin?"

Slowly, he unsheathed a knife from behind his back.

--

Orb Times  
Another Victim Found  
By Walter Rather

Orb is once again rocked by the latest killing in a string of murders these past few months. The dead body found in the mountains yesterday afternoon was positively identified as Samuel Mathews, age thirty five. Last seen with his girlfriend Melissa Bright last Friday, authorities were alerted when Mathews failed to appear Tuesday at Morgenroete, where he works as a senior production manager. His home showed no sign of forced entry when officers went to investigate.

One official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the recent murders share several striking similarities. Most prominent is a small slip of paper left at every crime scene. On it, are the letters "MSS" and the Chinese character for death. It is not known why the piece of paper is left at the scene and forensic examination has yielded nothing. The letters are always also written in red on a nearby surface. Other connections include signs of severe torture, death by either blade or gunshot wounds, and a stark lack of other evidence at the scene. This, he said, points to an individual familiar with forensic procedures, perhaps one with military or police training. Another disturbing link is that all the victims were working for or were former employees of Morgenroete and other military subcontractors. Morgenroete has not yet released a statement on yesterday's discovery.

Public confidence as been shaken by the serial killer, dubbed "the MSS killer." The mystery surrounding this murderer and the National Police's inability to achieve a breakthrough has concerned many people. The National Police has stated that they "have assigned this case a top priority."

--

"Hey, what the hell did you paint this with? That doesn't look like spray paint," a young man asked, inspecting the black and white newspaper photo closely. It featured the caption, "Photograph by Miriallia Haw." As he examined the photo, he played with the end of his dark brown braid. A cup of steaming coffee rested on the cluttered table in front of him. Located in the edges of the capital's central business district, the apartment was on the twenty first floor and overlooked the sea. Morning light streamed through the window, illuminating the front page.

"I used his blood and a rolled up magazine," his taller brother replied as he stalked in and began making a cup of Earl Grey. "The can was empty because you used it all practising and didn't bother get another one."

"Sorry about that, but you used his blood?" he asked again, just to confirm.

"Well, I sure as hell wasn't going to use my blood, was I? Plus, it sends a message that can't be done using Crayons."

"True." Curiosity satisfied, he moved on the next important topic, "So, what's for breakfast?"

Peering into the near-empty refrigerator, the Asian just sighed, "Looks like we're having cereal bars again. Remind me to buy some more food later."  
--

There it is, the prologue of the story. Interesting? Now, please review or YOU may be next in line for... termination. Thanks!

redshirt


	2. On a Path to Collision

Sorry it took so long to update. I picked a bad time to start writing this. School keeps getting in the way and recently, I've been just too tired to write. With that aside, I present a new chapter of Hunting Shadows.

Disclaimer: If I owned the Gundam SEED franchise, I'd be rich. If I were rich, I wouldn't be worrying about my grades. Since I'm worried about my grades... You do the math.

--  
Hunting Shadows - On a Path to Collision  
--

Kira drove through the Athha Mansion gates in his silver coupe. Just over a month had passed since the signing of the Treaty of Junius Seven in March. Tensions between factions had relaxed somewhat and the Freedom was hidden away with its fission reactor placed on standby. Life with Lacus at Reverend Malchio's orphanage was eventful, to say the least. With all the children running around, there was no shortage of excitement. Whenever he had time, Kira would usually make a trip to the main islands to visit Cagalli and Athrun, or rather Alex, and see how they were doing. This time, she had called him to ask for an unspecified favour. After being waved through security, he proceeded to Cagalli's office. She often worked long hours without breaks, much to Athrun's and the house staff's annoyance.

"Morning, you two," Kira greeted upon entering.

"Hey," responded Athrun from where he was lounging on the white leather sofa, facing windows that looked out onto the Pacific. Cagalli paused in her phone conversation and gave a small wave before continuing with her work. Her face showed obvious signs of exhaustion. A few minutes minute later, she hung up and turned to Kira.

She grinned. "Sorry, you know the Emirs like to keep talking and talking. How's everyone at the orphanage?"

"We're doing well. Lacus and the Reverend have their hands full with the kids."

"Sorry I had to drag you away, but I wanted to ask for your help with something. You've heard of the serial killer investigation, right?"

"Yeah," he affirmed. "Still no luck finding him? Whoever it is has been untraceable for months now."

"Nope, they haven't made much progress. Every time the public polls sink, the Emirs question my competence and blame my age. If possible, I'd like you to assist the investigative team. They need someone with your public recognition and skills to boost the people's confidence. I've spoken to Josef Wegner, the head of the team and he's looking for someone to serve as liaison with Morgenroete. Of course, you'll be paid as a senior contractor working on a high priority project."

"I don't know... We've got our hands full at the orphanage. It would be nice to work with Ms. Simmons again," Kira mused. "I need to talk to Lacus about this. Can I have a little time to think?"

Cagalli agreed. "All right, but please consider it seriously. I really need your help with this. I'm getting a bit hungry, so why don't we go and get some lunch?"

--

Two men sat at a table at an outdoor cafe while pedestrians and other customers flowed around them during the lunch time rush. The older wore a sharp black suit and a black briefcase stood on the floor next to his white chair. From his thinning grey hair to his shined shoes, every inch of him appeared to be a high level bureaucrat or businessman. However, his opposite number was a completely different story. The young Asian appeared to be one of the many lowly bicycle couriers that roamed the urban areas of Orb's major cities, wearing khaki shorts and a thin blue Reebok shirt over his lithe frame.

"Here is your new assignment." The elder slid a yellow folder across the white table. A light breeze caught the cover and flipped it open to reveal a several sheets of paper filled with information typed in a small font. "Funds will be deposited in your account tonight. Do not interrogate this subject."

Taking a pause from skimming the cover page, the younger man gave an incredulous glance. "I disagree. The subject holds a high security clearance. Any information obtained would be useful."

He was met with a scathing glare. "Mr. Chang, you are not being paid to question my orders. You are paid to follow orders issued by your country."

"Fine. I may have to requisition more equipment for this job. Make sure The Farm is open." With that, Chang slid the folder into his messenger bag and rose from his seat. He disappeared into the crowd moments after passing through a gate in low fence enclosing the patio. Moments later, all signs of his passage faded away; it was as if he'd never existed in the first place.

The other man exited several minutes later and entered a nondescript black sedan parked in a side street. A middle aged man sat behind the wheel with his coat unbuttoned. An opened newspaper lay in the passenger seat.

"Welcome back, sir. Back to the office?"

He fastened the seatbelt and gave a nod. The car slowly pulled out of the alley and entered the main traffic flow. In seconds, it was just another car in a mass of vehicles moving through the port city of Izanagi.

--

Much as Kira wanted to help Cagalli and assist in the investigation, he also didn't want to leave Lacus and the Reverend without help. Even when he was there, the children sometimes became too much to handle. Who knew what sorts of trouble they would get into if he were gone for months. When Cagalli outlined her proposal, the brunet silently decided to talk to Lacus before making a decision. After lunch, he'd left the car near a small suburban park that he was now strolling through. Kira decided it would be a good time to call Lacus and pulled out his cell phone to call the orphanage.

It rang until the answering machine picked up and Lacus' message began playback. "Kira, the children wanted to have a picnic at the beach so I won't be back until the evening. I know what you want to ask me and my answer is no, I don't mind if you take the job. You don't see your family and friends very often and I'm sure I can handle the children with Reverend Malchio for a few months. I'll miss you so be sure to call often."

Kira was at a loss for words. How did she know what he was going to ask? Cagalli only presented the idea that morning and it was still early afternoon. Shaking his head, he dialled Cagalli's office phone but only received a busy signal. No doubt she was in the middle of another conference with someone important. Frustrated, he called Athrun's cell.

The blue haired bodyguard picked up immediately. "Kira?"

"Athrun, I've spoken with Lacus and I'm going to take the job."

"That's great! Cagalli's in another meeting but it should be done soon. Can you meet us back at the house later? We need to go over some details before you meet the team tomorrow"

"Sure," Kira agreed. "It's not problem." He was going hang up when a thought struck him. "Athrun, has Cagalli talked to Lacus recently?"

Athrun quickly responded, "No, she hasn't. Why?"

"It's just that Lacus knew what I was going to ask before I said anything." Once again, he was about to disconnect when he had an idea. Before lunch, Cagalli had asked Athrun to run an errand and Lacus took the kids to the beach for a lunch picnic. "Have you talked with Lacus?"

Silence was the only answer.

"Athrun?"

"Sorry Kira, I have to go. Cagalli wants me to pick up something." He hung up.

Kira smirked and shook his head at Athrun's hasty attempt to deny having called Lacus. They knew each other too well for such a pause to go unnoticed.

--

It was late afternoon by the time he arrived back at the apartment complex. The train ride from Izanagi back to the capital was long and NetHack could only alleviate a small bit of boredom.

"Welcome back, Mr. Chang," the building's duty guard called out when he entered. James was a young MP recently discharged from the Orb Army and had yet to lose some of the ingrained stiffness.

He nodded. "Hey Jimmy. Much activity?"

"No, sir. Not much today."

He continued down the corridor to the bank of elevators. It took several seconds for the lift to ascend to the appropriate floor where it arrived with a quiet ding. Exiting, he made a left and approached his unit.

The Asian unlocked the door and called out, "Shinji! You home?"

A head poked out of a bedroom doorway. "Yeah, Akira?"

"We've got a new assignment." He withdrew the folder and dropped it on a desk on top of a stack of others. "Special instructions this time: no interrogation."

"What?!" Shinji approached, stumbling over a pillow on the ground. "Ouch. What do you mean 'no interrogation?' How else are we supposed to supply intel?"

"I don't know why and I'm not about to ask. I'm going to take a nap." He wasn't really sleepy but they were going to begin operations that night. The jobs were never easy and this one was the riskiest yet. "Go ahead and start analysing the data."

Shinji took a seat at one of the computer workstations and switched the bank of monitors on. After authenticating, he accessed the assignment database.

_'What do we have here... Violet eyes and brown hair, huh? Interesting combo...'_  
--

Yeah, I had a burst of productivity and just kept on writing and writing. The new document system completely screwed up the .odt file I uploaded so I reverted to the good old .txt file.

School's winding up and finals are approaching, so I might not be able to update until mid-May.

Please review?

redshirt


	3. Who Watches the Watchers?

Hey everyone! It's been a while since I update, but I managed to move home from college (or uni depending on where you're from), find a job and play lots and lots of games. Actually, I wrote about half of this at work. XD

DISCLAIMER: I don't own this. Seriously.

--  
Hunting Shadows - Who Watches the Watchers?  
--

"All right, who's been eating the doughnuts?" demanded the grizzled veteran as he took a seat at the long wooden table and glared at the four others already seated. Aside from the large moustache on his upper lip, his dark brown hair was still trimmed according to old regulations that no longer applied. Years of service in the Eurasian Federation Marines before immigrating to Orb had hardened his face and body and left him with a semi-permanent cigar protruding from under the afore mentioned moustache. Anthony 'Tony' Zimmer was someone not to cross on a bad day, much less in the middle of a drug crackdown.

After hastily wiping her hands on a nearby napkin and tossing it over her shoulder into the trash, one person responded, "Don't look at me. Sophie was eating before they even got through the door." Elena Murray was not the most accomplished liar, but she was a leader in forensic science. She pointed at her blonde neighbour who was searching for napkins to wipe her sticky fingers on.

Such was the scene that took place as Kira entered the conference room for the weekly team meeting. He'd been here for only a week, but was welcomed with open arms and friendly smiles. Over the past few days, he'd learned much about the task group in charge of the investigation. The team, Majestic 12 or MJ12 as some referred to it, was not formed in response to the serial murders, but had existed for years in the shadows and was headed by a group of five elite members. Officially, MJ12 was titled "Ministry of Justice, Section Twelve" and was composed of some of the best and brightest the Federal Security Service could offer. Under Josef Wegner's leadership, they were tasked with only the toughest, most controversial cases that confronted the FSB. It was divided into four divisions: Intelligence, Communications, Operations, and Science and Technology, whose division heads were Avery Clark, Sophie Ryan, Tony, and Elena, respectively. Kira worked with Morgenroete as part of the Communications, but also attended senior meetings so he could report progress to Cagalli and the Emirs.

A voice boomed from the doorway after Kira picked a comfortable chair close to the door, "As long as there's still coffee, we'll be fine." Wegner strode to the front of the room and took a seat at the table's head. "Let's start with you, Avery."

--

The two killers occupied a room in unleased office space in one of many of the capital's newly constructed office buildings. One peered out the plate glass window through a pair of binoculars and made notations on a pad of paper while the other munched on a bag of dried apple chips. The area was barren, save for two thick foam pads and small hoard of drinks and food. Neither the drywall for individual offices nor the industrial quality carpet had been installed yet.

Shinji turned away from the window and set down the binoculars. "There's something going on here. Something big. And we don't know what it is."

"What, about the mission?" Akira asked before eating another chip. "Don't worry about it. It'll work out just fine. If we follow procedure there's no reason why anything should go wrong."

The braided assassin made a final notation on the notebook and tossed it over to Akira. "Well, it's your turn." He rolled off the his pad and set about sifting through the supplies for something tasty and didn't read "Meal, Ready-to-Eat" on the packaging. He'd lived off of MREs in the past and wasn't going to eat any more unless it was absolutely necessary.

Akira inched his foam mattress over to the window and dug a pencil out from a pocket. In truth, he also had a nagging feeling that something was incredibly amiss, but he wasn't about to admit it. The typed objectives in the mission packet were clear and concise as usual and the operation was nearing completion, but the additional unwritten instructions were in direct conflict with standard procedure. Something was definitely going on and it was almost certainly related to what the target knew.

Meanwhile, Shinji continued to search fruitlessly through the box of food. Every single package so far had been a clearly labelled MRE and the prospects weren't looking good. 'That's the last time I'm letting him buy food for the missions,' he fumed silently. Of course, that was what he'd told himself last time.

--

An hour and half later, Kira rose from the uncomfortable seat at the table and stiffly made his way back to his cubicle to get his bag. Despite a generous budget, MJ12 still relied on standard rolling office chairs used in government agencies everywhere. Apparently, extra funds at the end of every fiscal year were placed in a secret account for other purposes. Either staff members had become accustomed to the thinly cushioned contraptions or they weren't willing to use the deposited funds to buy new chairs, preferring to spend it on an underground complex that featured entertainment systems, a gym, and a full size kitchen.

The morning's meeting was one half of the two major meetings scheduled for the day. Now, he was about to catch the bus over to Morgenroete's capital division to meet with Erica. It had taken some poking around to find an opening in her schedule where he could drag her away from the Murasame development project for a moment.

As he gripped the overhead rail for safety, Kira marvelled at the plan put together to catch him. Last week, Cagalli and Athrun had revealed that a furnished apartment waited near the capital's outskirts and his cubicle was already assigned and system accounts already set up at MJ12 upon arrival. Cagalli had evidently pulled enough strings somewhere in the government to get this done in only a few days. A Top Secret security clearance usually meant that a battery of psychological tests and exams before even being considered and all he had to do was just walk in and sign his name on some forms.

Eventually the bus reached the Morgenroete facility and Kira got off at the front security gate. The main complex was still a ways off, but he could ride a shuttle after clearing the checkpoint. The guards at the gate carefully examined his identity card before permitting access. Luckily, a utility vehicle waited on the other side, saving him from having to walk across the installation to Erica's office.

He nodded at the secretary before toggling the door switch for the inner door. It slid open to reveal the engineering head behind a desk, organising a large stack of folders.

"Hello, Kira. Would you mind if we took a walk?" Erica smiled sheepishly. "I've been in meetings all morning and the chair was stiff as a board."

He laughed. "Sure, I know what you mean. I was in a meeting earlier, too." He waited by the door as the older woman locked the computer and dimmed the lights, then followed her out.

The brunette paused by her secretary and said, "Natalie, go ahead and take a lunch break. I'm going to show Kira Hanger 12 and then head to lunch after."

--

Akira adjusted the magnification on the binoculars and focused it on the three people in the distant office. He braced his elbows on the floor and took slow controlled breaths as he tried to read lips nearly three quarters of a kilometre away. With the slight movement in his arms cause by his heartbeat magnified over the distance and the gestures of the speakers, it was impossible to determine with absolute certainty what was being said. When they were finished, he rolled over on his back and pondered the possible variations of what he read.

_'It must be a lunch break. Everyone left the office after that and it's about noon, too.'_ His felt a sharp pain in his stomach. "Where are you, Shinji?" he grumbled.

"I'm back!" Shinji called from the stairway access.

Akira leapt up and grabbed his bag. "Next time don't starve me, man. It's lunch time." He paused at the garbage can filled with several days' worth of trash and asked over his shoulder, "Anything around here other than Cafe de Coral?"

Shinji, who liked eating there, had to think for a moment before replying, "Well, if you count 7-11 food as real food, then yes. Other than that, there's not much else."

"Well, I guess I'll be gone for a while." He didn't really enjoy eating at Cafe de Coral and convience store food didn't constitute a meal. Hopefully, he could find the Yoshinoya they passed by earlier before starting surveillance.

He was a block from the station when his cell phone went off. Akira pulled it out of his pocket and checked the screen. It read "No ID". He thumbed the talk button and held it up to his ear.

"Chang. Secure." He didn't have to say anything else; the call could only be from one source.

An angry female voice issued from the earpiece. "When are you two going to give me a list of equipment? And can't you answer the phone like a normal person?"

Akira smiled a bit at the frustrated tone on the other end. He walked a few steps into a narrow alley before answering. "Julia, I'll have it for you tonight. As for my phone answering skills, I always answer like that when it's work. I thought you'd know by now."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Right. It'll be in your Inbox before you leave." Akira terminated the connection and slipped the phone back in his pocket before rejoining the main flow of people on the sidewalk. Now, where was that shop?

--

Erica and Kira were on an enclosed catwalk overlooking the noisy insides of the Murasame development hanger. They observed the activity below for a few moments before Kira began.

"We found something yesterday."

She knew that MJ12 was having trouble finding leads from the crime evidence. "Oh? And what would that be?"

"The murdered were all working on the Murasame. Specifically, they were people who also helped develop the original Astray operating system."

Erica leaned back against the wall for a moment, thinking of the possible implications. All of them were holdovers from the Astray project?

"Industrial sabotage?" she asked. Maybe the EA found out about the Murasame somehow and were trying to steal information. They'd certainly hadn't developed the Strike Dagger Natural OS by themselves. In fact, until the Arkhangel had made port in Onogoro, Orb hadn't had a Natural OS either. Sometime after that, it must have been leaked to the EA.

Kira shook his head. "No, we don't think so. The FIS hasn't noticed anything." Industrial espionage was one of the methods the Foreign Intelligence Service used to gather information. They hadn't reported a single piece of intel related to the Murasame project in either the EAF or ZAFT.

They stood for another few minutes before Kira's stomach rumbled over the distant sounds of machinery. He turned slightly red and gave an embarrassed smile.

Erica laughed. "C'mon, I'll buy you some lunch."

--

"Where were you?" Shinji demanded when Akira got back. "It's been two hours!"

"Lunch hour, remember? Let's get out of here. I just sent Julia the requisition form, so we'll be able to pick up the stuff tomorrow."

Shinji grabbed his backpack and led the way down to the street by way of stair rails. Soon, MSS looked like just another pair of college students roaming the city.

--  
**EDIT**: Crazy/weird footnote removed...

**Please review...** Oh, and I'd like some feedback about my writing style, if possible. Sometimes my writing feels a bit weird, like I'm not giving enough details. Thanks!

redshirt


	4. Strike

Hey, readers! Thanks for your continued interest in this story. I know that signing up for an account may seem like a bit of a hassle, but I like being able to respond to reviews that you submit. That is, IF THERE ARE REVIEWS TO RESPOND TO! Please, please, please take a few minutes and write a review. That would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

EDIT: Typo fixed.

DISCLAIMER: I dinnae own Gundam SEED or SEED DESTINY.

--  
Hunting Shadows - Strike  
--

For some unfathomable reason, the safe house at Number 2, Lubyanka Square accepted the standard government access card as authorisation. Sure, it made for fewer pass cards and a more unified security network, but it would leave an electronic trail on some central government server all linked to one person. That, Akira decided, was a far greater operational risk than the curious glances Shinji was drawing from pedestrians as he tried to get the PIN pad to accept input properly. Government contractors have overcharged substandard products for hundreds of years and this little bit of technology was no exception. As amusing as it was to watch his brother dance around in frustration, it was definitely time to intervene.

"Move over." A small length of detonating cord exposed the pad's internal circuitry and Akira reached in to flick a switch. "Alright, try again."

This time, the pad worked and the service door to Ishinohara Shipping Company's office slid open at a touch. Shinji waited for Akira to go in before triggering the door release and tripping the circuit breaker.

Julia greeted them at the rear warehouse with crossed arms and a frown. "Did you really have to blow up the door?" she ground out. "That's the third time we've had to replace it because of you two."

"Yes," the two assassins chorused. Of course, they'd technically destroyed the reinforced cover plate and not the whole door, but the contractors only sold doors in whole units. They followed the Japanese woman inside the cavernous building where a black sedan waited.

Shinji turned and whispered, "Ask for a door next time. Maybe she'll stop yelling at us."

"I heard that!"

Julia passed the requisition form to Akira while Shinji, the designated driver, popped open the trunk and went to inspect the car's interior and engine. It was a plain, cheap-looking government model with extra antennas and tinted windows that suited their needs perfectly. Akira flipped through the list, checking off each package and signing the last page. Everything he requested yesterday was on the list, including items that clearly were not necessary.

_'As if anyone would believe that we need an entire crate of Claymores to capture someone.'_

He handed the papers back and went outside to smoke, leaving Shinji to finish up a bit of maintenance and dirty the car so it didn't look as if it just rolled off the assembly line. Outside, the sun sat low on the horizon and coloured the sky blood red. The former soldier just stared out towards the sea, cigarette dangling between his lips. In a few hours, it would be dark enough to see pieces of debris from the war as they entered the atmosphere and left blazing trails in the air. He blinked after a few moments and looked down below where a white stone monument had been erected in a field of flowers on the cliff below.

"Izumi, Takahashi, Mountbatten," Akira whispered slowly. "Todaka, Jellicoe, Suzuki." He continued reciting the names of friends who lost their lives in the Battle of Orb while recalling memories of life in the service.

_'Comrades, I hope you're having fun, wherever you are now,'_ he thought sadly. _'Someday we'll meet up, have a few drinks and remember the good times. But first, Shinji and I have to kill them all.'_ His right hand involuntarily flexed as if he were choking the life out of an enemy. _'Damn traitors!'_

Julia came outside and saw a figure standing behind the building, silhouetted against the sun. "Hey!"

Akira whipped his gun out and pointed it directly at her before he could stop himself. After realising who it was, the assassin lowered his weapon slowly and started back towards the warehouse.

By now, she knew better than to ask him about the frightening reaction; it seemed that she had a bad habit of surprising him at the worst times. Still, Julia could not help but feel that something had changed since the last mission, although she had no idea whether it was for better or worse.

"Are you alright?" she asked quietly as he approached. Whatever had happened outside was probably not exactly enjoyable, judging from the frown fixed firmly on his face. Though Akira didn't say anything, his brief glance as he passed was filled with a mixture of anger and determination.

Shinji looked up from examining a map when Akira returned. Red lines drawn on the map traced the target's route to and from Morgenroete. A few days of surveillance and a bit of not-quite-legal hacking into the target car's GPS system provided all the necessary data. It was not an advertised fact that the guidance features in modern vehicles retained travel data for months unless otherwise disabled. Shinji made sure to disable and completely clear the unit's cache during the inspection.

He knew at once from Akira's expression and stance that his brother was in a combat trance. After all the experiments and medical procedures the two had been through, it was sometimes difficult to maintain sanity. Something must have happened because the MSS's operations had never triggered a trance.

"You finished?" Akira asked and entered the car before Shinji could answer.

"Yeah." Shinji folded the map and turned to Julia. "Thanks for the stuff. Sorry, it looks like we're going to have to go now."

"Ah," she replied meekly, barely audible over the noise of the engine starting. "Good luck not that you need it."

"Will do."

Akira stomped on the gas pedal before his teammate could even fasten his seatbelt. The assassin didn't react and just let the rapid acceleration press him back into the seat as the sedan tore out of the echoing chamber.

--

"Miss Lacus!"

Children stopped playing and swarmed around the pink-haired songstress when she came out carrying a tray filled with plates of watermelon. The war orphans had become accustomed to eating a snack outdoors in the evening while watching the light show. It was less intense now than just after the war when debris from the frantic Second Battle of Jachin Due fell victim to the Earth's gravitational pull. Still, they enjoyed the spectacle and would squeal with delight when a particularly large piece streaked through the heavens.

"My, my... Everyone go wash your hands before eating."

The children scrambled to reach the bathroom quickly so they could lay claim to a slice. However, one stayed despite the possibility that she would not be able to have first dibs on the fruit.

"Miss Lacus, when is Mr. Kira going to come back? Where is he?" the little girl asked.

"He's working in Orb right now, Megumi," Lacus answered a bit sadly. "I don't know when he'll be back, but you can talk to him when I call tonight. How does that sound?"

At that, she visibly brightened. "Yay!"

Lacus sat down as the child ran inside to join her playmates. Megumi had formed a bond with Kira when he came to live with Reverend Malchio after the war. She followed the Coordinator everywhere around the orphanage and whenever he left for any length of time, she would fall into a minor depression. Perhaps it was because Megumi had lost her parents at a young age and saw Kira as a replacement.

_'I hope your job isn't too hard on you, Kira. Megumi's birthday is coming up soon and she'll be sad if you can't celebrate it with her. She wants a big party because she's turning eight this year.'_

"You meanie!"

The shout interrupted Lacus's thoughts, causing her to look up. Apparently one of the boys had quickly grabbed a slice that another wanted and now the younger one was protesting. She sighed before getting up to diffuse the argument.

_'Come back soon, Kira.'_

--

Akira vaulted over the wooden fence behind the target's house. Shinji was at the end of the street waiting for the target to arrive home.

He landed softly and ran over to the telephone exchange box mounted on the house's rear wall. The assassin pulled out the most important piece of equipment, a circuit scanner, and pried open the box with a knife. Configured properly, the scanner would intercept data and manipulate it based on programmed parameters. He quickly hooked the unit up to the correct wires and let the unit run; it would shut down the house's security system without letting the security company's computer know.

Akira retrieved a roll of duct tape from his butt pack and stuck long strips on a nearby window. The glass shattered quietly under a quick elbow strike and he unlatched the window from inside. Of course, the alarm did not sound, the scanner's programming having already run its course.

Swiftly, he entered and made his way to the foyer, where the memorised plans showed a small closet. It would be a tight fit but if surveillance was correct, he wouldn't have to endure it for long.

--

The black sedan waited at the end of the cul-de-sac, its engine idling. Shinji reclined in the driver's seat and waited for the target to arrive home. Akira should be in position any moment and then the carefully planned trap would be armed.

The radio clicked once, indicating that Akira was in position. Privately, Shinji was glad that he was the driver and not the one stuck in the cramped closet. Now, all he had to do was to wait for the subject to come home and spring the trap.

--

Kira hummed as he collected a stack of papers from the copier. He had spent half the day drafting a briefing for Cagalli, Athrun and the Emirs. Aside from the recently discovered link between the Astray and Murasame operation systems there was nothing major to report, but they still had to be informed.

_'Hmm... I'd better call Lacus tonight. We haven't talked in a while and I think Megumi's birthday is coming up. I'll take a few days off to see everyone.'_

The brunet continued to hum happily as he slid the reports into his bag and grabbed his phone and keys. He switched the lights off before leaving.

--

Shinji jerked awake when a car turned onto the street and sent the car's tracking system to a flurry of beeps. He clicked the transmit button on the radio twice to alert Akira that the target was approaching.

The braided man waited for the target to pull up onto the house's driveway before heading over. He would have to do some fast talking to manoeuvre the subject into position; a government employee would never have a three-foot long braid, male or female.

"Excuse me..." Shinji started.

The target obviously noticed the government car with a blue light on top and turned around. "Yes?"

"I'm Evan Covington from the Ministry of State Security. I'd like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind."

"The Ministry of State Security?"

"Yes, we're a part of the FIS but interface with the FSB. Why don't we go inside?"

The brunette assented and lead the way inside. "That's odd. I thought I turned on the alarm this morning."

--

Akira reached under the counter and groped around for some flexible tubing. After locating a tube, he stuck his other hand under and followed the tubing all they way back to where it met the wall. This specific tube distributed natural gas from where it entered the house to the stove, while others supplied gas to the oven and heating system. A few quick twists later and all the tubes were detached allowing the gas to flow freely. Akira again reached into his butt pack and pulled out the roll of tape, along with a large chunk of Semtex. A remote detonator was already inserted into the plastic explosive and all that was left was to tape the block to the wall, next to the stove.

He went to the foyer, locked the door and exited from the rear window. After taping up the hole in the window, he wrinkled his nose; the rotten egg smell of natural gas was incredibly disgusting. Akira pressed the destruct button the scanner and walked around the side to the front of the house where Shinji waited with the unconscious subject. The button activated a small timer on the unit; it would transmit a destruct signal to the detonator inside. When the explosives detonated, it would do have two effects. First, it would tear out a significant chunk of the house. Secondly, it would ignite the compressed natural gas in the relatively sealed house, resulting in a simultaneous fuel-air explosion that would flatten the entire building. The scanner would be consumed in the fireball, leaving behind no traces.

As he passed by the kitchen, his sharp ears picked up the sound of a phone ringing somewhere nearby.

--

Lacus leaned down and lifted Megumi from the chair. The small child had fallen asleep at Lacus's desk while waiting to talk to Kira. Unfortunately, Lacus had had to finish washing the dishes so it was nearing midnight. The messenger of peace laid her down on the bed and covered her tiny frame with a light blanket.

She walked through the house, making sure the doors were locked and shutting off the lights; Reverend Malchio was getting on in years and often went to bed soon after the rest of the children. Finished, Lacus settled into an armchair and picked up the cordless phone. It showed one message from Kira. She thumbed a button and the recording began to play.

"Lacus, I know you're busy with the children, but I wanted to talk. If you have time, call me. I'll be up late tonight."

Lacus smiled at the message; she knew that Kira would most likely have fallen asleep waiting for her to call. He and Megumi were very much alike in that fashion. The songstress dialled Kira's phone and waited for him to answer. The phone rang and rang and rang but no one picked up; eventually the answering machine prompted her to leave a message.

_'I guess he really did fall asleep.'_  
--

Sorry, I couldn't resist leaving a cliffhanger here. I know that there isn't too much action that isn't OC centered, but with only a limited set of characters to work with, it's a bit difficult (I'm trying to have as little AU as possible).

AGAIN, Please leave a review, even if it's just to tell me that I should jump off a cliff and kill myself for not making this a KxL or AxC fic (Don't take that last bit literally). Thanks!

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	5. Observations

Bwahaha, another chapter done. I've been working on this for a while. Between school, games and sleep, I'm beginning to feel that there aren't enough hours in a day. Well, here you go. Just a warning: a bit of language and drug reference.

DISCLAIMER: SEED and SEED DESTINY, own not, I do.

---  
Hunting Shadows - Observations  
---

Kira blinked and raised a hand to block the blinding sunlight that streamed through the open window. The brunet heard the birds chirping outside and rolled over to look at the clock. The flashing digits read nine o'clock. Kira turned on the TV to catch the morning news and tried to remember what happened last night.

'Stayed late to write the report for today's meeting. Got home and called...'

The Coordinator frantically reached under the pillow and groped for his cell phone. Finding it, he checked the screen and found that it had been left on vibrate all night. He flopped back onto the bed and rubbed his face tiredly. Suddenly the phone rang and startled Kira, who dropped it on the floor.

"Hello?"

It was Athrun. "Kira? Your briefing's been pushed up. Cagalli says that if you're not here in the next fifteen minutes, she'll castrate you for making her listen to the Emirs rant again."

"Fifteen minutes?" Kira repeated in disbelief. "There's no way I can get there in fifteen minutes. Thirty at least with all the traffic."

The phone beeped. "Hold on, there's another call."

"Lad, we've got another body. You haven't left for the brief yet, have you?" Tony asked.

"No, sir."

"Good, meet me at Twenty Third and North and get ready to take some notes." The Operations leader hung up.

Kira switched back to Athrun. "Cancel that. They found another body."

"Another one? Fine, I'll tell her, but she won't like it."

"Thanks, Athrun."

---

Akira and Shinji sat at a Pacific Coffee Company shop and observed the scene across the street at the police cordon. The blue and white plastic tape closed off an entire alley between two high rise apartment buildings. A small army of reporters were broadcasting from the street but the two paid no attention.

Shinji idly played with the stirrer in his coffee. "Well, last night was fun. And don't you try to disagree with me."

---

Shinji parked the black sedan at the entrance of the alley and popped the trunk.

Akira frowned at the smell drifting out of the back. "Well, great. She's crapped herself."

"Not my fault. All set?"

"Yeah. One, two three."

They lifted the squirming body of Executive Secretary Natalie Littlefield out and unceremoniously dumped her on a pile of wet cardboard boxes.

Shinji got back in the car. "Three minutes?"

"Yeah, that's good and get an air freshener or something." As the car drove off to keep a lookout, Akira turned to Natalie and pulled out a syringe filled with back liquid. "No one can hear you." He ripped the tape off her mouth. "I might kill you quickly, I might not."

"Do you expect me to talk?" she ground out around the pain.

"No, I expect you to die. Your usefullness had come to an end. You've given us a name. That's all we need."

"We know all about your operations. I'll be replaced by another."

"What do I care about how many people you have?" He grinned. "We're the unstoppable invisible hand of Orb." Natalie shook her head furiously. "You can't kill me. You can't." "Don't presume to tell me what I can and can't do. If you know so much, then you know that, statistically, you won't survive the night. With Liquid Void, it won't be a surprise to anyone that you accidentally overdose and die. Its more than you deserve, traitor." With one motion, he slid the needle into her arm and depressed the plunger. Her eyes opened wide and she let out a quiet gasp before going limp. After cutting loose her bonds, the killer arranged her hand around the syringe with a gentleness that belied his inner anger. After all, it would not do to leave behind any evidence of physical assault. He stepped back to make one last check and was blinded by a bright white light.

"Hey! What are you doing?" A blue uniform came into view and stepped closer. "Turn around and put your hands on your head now!"

Akira glanced at his watch as he slowly complied. There were about thirty seconds left until Shinji returned.

The man stepped closer and glanced at the body. "Jesus!"

That was what Akira was waiting for. The soldier's knee impacted on the police officer's solar plexus. The opponent doubled over and Akira's gloved hands clamped down on the man's gun arm. With a quick twist, the officer's body crashed down onto the pavement. Another strike followed and the target fell unconcious. He ran for the alley entrance.

Shinji pulled up behind the police car. He took in Akira's heavy breathing and asked, "What happened?"

"The lass is dead but I had a spot of bother." Akira smashed the window and opened the door.

Shinji sat down on the hood. "What the hell, are you channelling a Brit again? Anyways, did you kill him?"

"Do I look like a bloody idiot?" He scrolled through the patrol car's logs. "Looks like he didn't submit a report, so let's just get out of here."

---

"No shit, last night a massive cluster fsck." Akira frowned into his expresso.

"Then, o great strategist, explain to me why we're here again where everything went wrong?"

"We're looking for someone. If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles."

Everything was different now. One broken rule and one name had flipped the tables and now they sank deeper into a maelstorm of destruction; except that this time they were not up against Atlantic Federation occupation forces, but dealing with enemies that hid in shadows. The only assurance was that if they stumbled around blindly, they would die. Now the two soldiers were back at the scene to find a hiding place darker than their adversaries'. From there, they would be able to strike with overwhelming power.

"Someone like that guy?" the braided man wondered. "Haven't we seen him before?"

"Who?" Akira twisted around in his seat to see. "Oh, him? That's the guy at the Morgenroete office the other day."

"He might remember Littlefield. Is he the one you're looking for?"

"Are you kidding? Coordinator or not, he's way too young to have any real rank. Majestic Twelve is the cream of the crop, remember."

"Oh yeah, oops. What about that old geezer he's talking to?" Shinji pointed at another man.

Akira stared long and hard. "Interesting." He took in the man's close cropped hair, his large moustache, and the smouldering cigar clamped firmly in his mouth. "Maybe, just maybe."

---

"Lad, glad you could make it. This'll look like hell on your report."

Kira flipped open a notebook to take notes. "Yeah, if the Emirs don't decide to replace me with someone else for being late."

"Like I always say, it's easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission."

"I'll be begging, alright." Kira muttered under his breath. "Begging to retain my manhood."

"What's that? In a spot of trouble with the missus, are we?"

"No, Gunny, just with my sister."

"Ouch. Well, I'll leave you with Avery, then." The Operations head strolled away. "Jenkins, let's go knock on some doors."

Avery waved Kira over to the body. "Kira, this is the body Police Constable Marcus Fleming found last night. Constable Fleming's in the hospital recovering right now, but he gave a written statement. The killer or one of the killers is definitely a male, about six feet, hundred seventy pounds. He's strong and moves very, very quickly. As for the body, it looks like an overdose on Liquid Void. Nasty shit, that is. Expensive as hell, too. Oddly, it's got a MSS label on it. Either they're distributing it or they've got quite a budget."

Kira bent down for a closer look. "What's this on the back?"

"What's what?" Avery leaned over.

"Look at the back of the label behind the plunger. Look like there's something written on there."

The senior agent reached out and gently turned the syringe. "Well, I'll be damned, there really is something on here. Elena, what the hell is this?"

"Eh? Oh damn, I never noticed that before. Two three seven four three three one. I'll have my people take a look at the previous notes."

Elena's phone rang. "Yeah, ok. That's fine. Later." She turned back. "We've got an ID on her. Natalie Littlefield, Erica Simmons' secretary. Her house-"

"-blew up last night! I knew I'd heard that name somewhere before. Tony!" Avery called. "Get someone over to Morgenroete. We may have to take Director Simmons into protective custody."

---

"FSB agents under Majestic Twelve have been assigned to Morgenroete. If there are no further questions, this briefing is concluded," Kira collected his notes and ducked out of the room.

Athrun was waiting outside. "You know, she was this close to doing it." The Coordinator raised his hand, index and thumb millimetres apart. "I'm sleeping on the couch tonight. Actually I should take your bed and make you sleep on a couch."

"Come on, you wouldn't be that mean would you?" Kira grumbled. "You're my best friend and you're kicking me out because my sister is taking her frustration out on you."

"She's pissed off because of you, Kira," he reminded. "So of course I get to steal your bed."

---

Akira stood on the balcony and shivered slightly in the cool sea breeze. The sun had gone down long ago and city lights lit up the sky. His thoughts tumbled and scattered in the confines of his mind as he pondered their next move.

"Hey, if you're just going to stand there, close the door."

"If you're just going to sit there and play games, get me a refill." Akira threw the travel mug through the open doorway and into Shinji's lap.

Shinji tossed it back. "Hell no, do it yourself."

"You know, if it's true, the whole plan's screwed."

"So?" Shinji paused the game. "I'm going to be serious for a moment. Laugh if you want," he said as Akira smiled. "We're doing this for our buddies. I don't care how high up the ladder we have to kill, but we can't just tear up the country."

"Yeah, it'd be a shame if I can't retire here."

---

Kira curled up on the couch under a blanket. True to his word, Athrun had come over and shamelessly kicked him out of his own bed. It was Friday so the two had watched a few movies. Kira turned his back to the flickering television set and grabbed his cell phone. He hesistated a moment, then hit a number on speeddial.

"Hello?" a quiet voice asked.

"It's Kira, Megumi."

"Kira? KIRA! IT'S KIRA!"

He winced at the loud shouting.

"MISS LACUS, IT'S KIRA!"

"Shh, Megumi. You'll wake everyone up. Kira?"

"Hello, Lacus. Sorry, I fell asleep last night."

She laughed. "I thought so. So, how's work going?"

"Well, it definitely hasn't been boring. Cagalli's mad so Athrun kicked me out of my bed tonight. Are the children giving you a hard time?"

"Not really, but they keep asking when you'll come back. Everyone here misses you."

"I don't know if I can take some time off because I'm always on call. Megumi's birthday is coming up in a next week, right? How about you two and a few children come here for the weekend?"

"That sounds like a great idea."

They continued to chat until near midnight, catching up. Kira told Lacus about the new apartment and the nearby park. Lacus described how Len was almost pulled into water while fishing the day before. It was a chance for them to unwind after the week's trials. All too soon, Reverend Malchio's grandfather clock was chiming three and Lacus had to get some rest for another day of excitement that only a band of orphans could bring.  
---

No cliffhanger this time, after the last chapter. Reviews are greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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